Budget
• Accommodation in New York City is extremely expensive. It’s hard to find a decent private room for less than 80 USD (68 EUR), especially in Manhattan.
• Attractions can also get pretty pricey, but since in NYC there are so many awesome free things to do, you can easily skip attractions.
• Food prices are reasonable. You can have a budget lunch for 5-10 USD (4.50-9 EUR) and a budget dinner with drinks for 20 USD (19 EUR). In restaurants expect to pay at least double or triple the price.
• Metro is the cheapest mean of transportation. A subway ride with unlimited transfers costs 2.50 USD (2.35 EUR).
To save some more money, check out our Budget cutting tips.
Where to stay
You can find great accommodation options on Booking. Make sure to search for private rooms popular for romance. 😉 On Airbnb you can rent furnished apartments – those are usually cheaper than most hotels and they offer you the real experience of New York City.
Best time to go
Weather-wise the best time to visit New York is from May to early October. If you want to avoid crowds, you should consider visiting during the spring or fall. NYC is also magical during the holiday season since there are many Christmas and New Year’s festivals and events (like the lighting of the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree or the New Year’s ball drop on Times Square). The cheapest time to visit the city is from mid-January to the end of February.
Other information
♦ Planning and preparation: check out our planning routine here.
♦ Packing: check out the honeymoon adventurers’ ultimate packing list here.
♦ For other travel tips check out Travel like a pro, Travel for couples, Honeymoon styles, Honeymoon activities, Responsible tourism, and Travel resources.
♦ Language: English. Spanish is also widely spoken. Check out the typical travel vocabulary in English here.
♦ Currency: United States dollar
♦ Visa or other entry requirements: All nationals or citizens of Visa Waiver Program countries who plan to travel to the United States for temporary business or pleasure under VWP are required to apply for ESTA (in advance). For more information, visit US Visa. Travelers from any other countries must obtain a B-1 or B-2 Visitor Visa in advance.
♦ Electricity standards: The power plug types in the USA are A and B, the standard voltage is 120 V and the standard frequency is 60 Hz.
♦ Time zone: UTC-05:00
♦ Immunization recommendations and requirements: There are no vaccination requirements for visitors to the United States.
♦ Health and safety tips:
In the past, New York city was considered dangerous but today it’s one of the safest large cities in the US. However, you should always follow the usual travel safety precautions:
- Leave your jewelry and other valuable belongings in the hotel safe.
- Keep your emergency cash apart from the rest of your money.
- Dress comfortably and carry only the items you will need for the day.
- Don’t carry a lot of money.
- Always make sure to lock your room before leaving the hotel.
- Be aware of your surroundings at all times.
- Stay in well-lit areas.
- Try to maintain a low profile and do your best to fit in.
- Carry a travel wallet/money belt/money pouch for carrying money and documents safely.
- Avoid contact with potential scam artists.
- Avoid showing off valuable belongings (like cameras) in public.
- Don’t count your money in public.
- Keep an eye on your belongings at all times.
Bronx and Harlem have a reputation for being bad neighborhoods but in reality, they are not that bad at all. Just try to avoid shady areas, and you should be fine. For other health and safety tips in NY, visit Trip Advisor.
To stay healthy while traveling, check out our health travel tips.
• Tap water in NYC is safe to drink, but it does have a slight taste of chlorine.
* Always make sure to reuse a water bottle to cut down on waste.
♦ Local Customs: New York is one of the most multi-cultural cities in the world and the locals are accepting of every culture, race, and religion. There is no particular dress code required on the streets of New York. Locals tend to be friendly and informal and are (of course!) offended by extreme behavior, such as racist, sexist and vulgar language, disrespectful and aggressive behavior.
Check out top things to see and do in New York, as well as top romantic experiences and adventures here.
Thanks for the information. I have been in New York about twenty years ago and much has changed since then. Next year I’m going to visit my daughter in California and spend three days also in the New York City. I had heard about the high cost and high prices of hotels so need to look for apartments, and it’s better to postpone the sightseeings of New York on the way back to Europe.
Hey! You’re more than welcome! 🙂 Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us! Stay in touch! 😉
Another great article! New York has always been on my bucket list. My son had a competition there one year, and we went for a week. It is still on my bucket list, because all we got to do was take the Ferry to Ellis Island and see the “big tree”, it was Christmas time. I do remember one thing, everything, and I do mean everything was expensive. It was hard to find a bargain. We did stay outside of the city limits and the hotel was considerably cheaper, which I definitely recommend. Then the city was super easily accessible by train, which was quite the experience all in its own.
Yes, accommodation can be a lot cheaper outside the city limits and the public transportation connections in New York city are very good. Good call! 🙂
Hello there! I want to go to New York city with my family and I don’t know anything about New York city except to the famous statue of liberty. I want to know the budget I needed, the best time to go and the best place to stay in New York. Luckily I found your article that talks about every single thing I need to know before visiting New York City. Thank you for sharing this information and I hope that me and my family have a great time in New York City.
Hi, there, John!
We are really glad to here you found our post useful. We too hope you’ll have a wonderful time in NY. Cheers!